On the Eighth Day of Christmas: Picture Poetry/ABCs (also, books about whales)

On the Eighth Day of Christmas we have for you...  Picture Poetry and ABC Books!

Our first recommendation is:

If You Want To See a Whale by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

This is a beautiful book (both words and pictures) with instructions about what to do if you want to see a whale.  Here's a peek at both:

 

"if you want to see a whale

be careful not to notice

something inching, small and green

across the leaf, just nibble scoot

because things that are smaller than most things

can't be as giant as a whale"

Another excellent poetry book about whales is The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

My son and I were introduced to this book at a "Sea Squirts" baby class at our local aquarium (thanks Ms. Ashley!).  There is something about the rhythm of the words that makes me want to read this book to my son over and over again- try reading it out loud:

"This is the tale of a tiny snail

And a great big, grey-blue humpback whale.

This is a rock as black as soot,

And this is a snail with an itchy foot.

The sea snail slithered all over the rock

And gazed at the sea and the ships in the dock.

And as she gazed, she sniffed and sighed.

'The sea is deep and the world is wide!

How I long to sail'

Said the tiny snail"

I recognized the illustrator, Axel Scheffler,  from another of my favorite picture books: How to Keep a Pet Squirrel- a tricky one to find at a bookstore but if you see it, check it out!

Moving on to ABC books, we have Alpha Block by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peskimo. (Thanks, Cecily Kaiser and the folks at Abrams Appleseed Publishing for sharing this book with us!)

This is THE ultimate baby version of an illustrated encyclopedia- it is a thick, heavy, sturdy board book that  features cut-out letters and beautiful illustrations.  My son can look through this book, picking out all the pictures and words he knows for a LONG time.

...although he spends most of it staring at his favorite page:

In case you were wondering, this is my favorite page:

And the last picture book recommendation for this year is... drumroll...  Line 135 by Germano Zullo, Illustrated by Albertine.  (Thanks, Afton, for Oliver's birthday gift!)

 

 Although the words might resonate more with older children and adults:

"My mother and grandmother say that I am too small to know the entire world.

My mother and grandmother say that it's difficult enough to know yourself.

I don't always understand my mother and my grandmother"

...train-obsessed toddlers will have more than enough to do just paging through and looking through the detailed pictures of the interesting worlds that the 135 train drives through on its journey.

Some of the pictures remind me a little bit of the Babar and Father Christmas book, where I would stare at the pages for what seemed like hours, trying to figure out what each little elf was doing in all of the tiny scenes.  Remember this one?

Thanks Meg, for having me back to share our favorite picture books from the year!  Hope to see all of you readers back here next Christmas!